1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to textile fabrics and their methods of construction, and more particularly to textile fabrics of the type incorporating engineered filamentary plastics materials that are shaped to form protective sleeves for elongate members.
2. Related Art
Wiring harnesses, hoses, tubing and the like often must endure harsh environmental conditions in automotive, industrial, aerospace, marine and other applications. For example, wire harnesses may be subjected to excessive heat or vibrations during vehicle operation which can damage the wire harness and impair its operation and reduce its useful life. It is common to cover wire harnesses with protective sleeving to protect them from the affects of such harsh environments. One such sleeve includes a woven substrate incorporating a plurality multifilaments and/or monofilaments that are made of an engineered plastics material that can be heat set to form a generally tubular, wrappable product. The filaments near the edges of the sleeve (i.e., near the ends or along the longitudinal split) tend to protrude, fray and/or fall out when the product is cut to length. Apart from being aesthetically unpleasing, the frayed, protruding filaments can contaminate the tubes, hoses or wire harnesses about which the sleeve is disposed by interfering with the ability to properly connect end fittings or couplings with their mating parts. Protective sleeves can also be braided or knit to ultimately take on an elongated tubular form and can include multifilaments and/or monofilaments that, when the sleeve is cut to length, can fray at the ends.